Pantzer 4 colour question

I am guessings its a slight typo, so not sure if you eman an Ausf H or J. The H begain production in mid 43, so would not have worn the Pz Grey scheme. There are photo's or Ausf H in white scheme douring the winter of 43/44.

The Ausf J served through the winter of 44/45, includeing the Ardenne offensive. From images i have seen it doesn't look as though the German white washed vehicles on the western front. Those on the eastern front may well have been but its hard to find images of any.

Sorry , the kit says its aus H/J    but there are no sideskirts or extra armour on the back of the turret.

I think i found it.

Is this it. Its my understanding that these early Academy kits are knocks often of tamiya kits, and the original boxing of this does share the same box art as the old tamiya Ausf H. Odd that they choose not to add the skirts on this kit, they are included on others. Its hard to tell the differance between an H and early J, and looking at the instructions, they don't seem to give you options, and the write up just refers to the Ausf H. There are quite a few pics of this version in white wash on the eastern front.

Thats the one yes. Am I correct to think that the camo looks like dark earth and dark green over the standard dunkel gelb?  If so it appears to be more "loosely" applied than the later 3 tone scheme as on the Tigers? 

Theuns

I have look at the instructions on scalemates and noticed there is no paint guide, i thought they had just missed that when downloading it.

I can deffinetly make out the green, not sure i can see the brown. But the range of schemes was huge, somtime it might just be one colour over the DY. On the box art, it looks like a decal behind the headlight, but i quite can't make out what it is, but i get the feeling it an H with an upward pointing dagger in the middle.

I just took a heap of artistic licence and painted it to look like a 3 tone camo. Most of it will be hidden under the whitwash anyway.

Theuns

Probably the best thing to do with these kits. A good chance to try out techniques and ideas.

Exactly the plan :-)

Theuns

Better off keeping it an early ausf.H as Zimmerit would have been applied at the factory (beginning Sept. 1943 according to PanzerTracts publication).  If it is seeing winter, not sure if crews would of applied zimmerit themsleves?

The ommission of skirts is odd as they were provided for in the previous boxing.  This modification was already introduced to the Ausf.G in May 1943.

regards,

Jack

Jack, i noticed that other boxing both before and after this one ha the extra armour, so it is a bit odd.

As far as i know, Zimm wasn't applied in the field, it took a couple of days to apply it at the factory, so in the field i can't imagine there would have been time. And i think it is possable for a pre sept vehilce to still be in the field come winter.

That does seem to be the consensus of the hivemind over at missinglynx forums.   One member was confident to state that no known photo exists of field applied zimmerit, though blow torches can be used to decrease drying time to one hour, compared to 8 days of air drying.

Not much discussion there on the Academy kit either, but is confirmed being a copy of the old Tamiya kit, and a poor one at that.

regards,

Jack

There will be no zimiret on this model, just a white wash over the 3 tone camo.

Theuns

Tamiya also released their original Panzer IV H in a boxing without the schurzen. My guess is based off of photos of Gs, as to why. But who knows.

I built the Academy clone with schurzen back in the late 80's, and didn't think that it was that bad of a kit. Back then the options were Italeri (much finer detail) or Tamiya at the local shop if the kit was in current release. Of course I didn't know much better back then, but it still looks decent on my shelf today.